Chemical Vapor Deposition of Beta-BaB2O4 (BBO) for Integrated Nonlinear Optics

The superior optical properties of BBO and its applicability in frequency doublers and waveguides justifies development of thin film deposition processes which can be integrated with microelectronic processing. The high damage threshold of BBO, a necessary component for device integrity, is a major advantage over other nonlinear optic materials. In Phase I, chemical precursors and a deposition process specifically tailored to BBO will produce high quality epitaxial thin films for nonlinear optical waveguides and give direction for commercial device fabrication. In a joint program with Illinois Institute of Technology, SHG measurements will be made to assess the optical performance of the films. In Phase II, thin-film deposition will be optimized to achieve device-quality BBO, concurrent with the fabrication and testing of optical waveguides. The proposed development program will provide the technological basis required for the commercialization of barium borate thin film devices such as waveguides and optical integrated circuits.